A mock CQC inspection that tells you the truth.
An inspection-style review of your records, practice and culture, carried out by people who have been on the other side of the table. You get a written report ranked by risk and a plan your team can deliver, within 10 working days.
For providers preparing for their next assessment.
A mock inspection is most useful before an assessment is due, after a change of manager, after a poor rating, or when something just does not feel right.
We look at your service the way an inspector would: what your records show, what staff and the people you support tell us, and whether the two match. Then we tell you, kindly and clearly, what an inspector is likely to find.
A mock inspection that only tells you what you want to hear is no use to you on the day.
Mock inspection findings
Ranked by risk, with owners and dates
Example. Fictional details.
A review that goes beyond the paperwork.
- Records. Care plans, risk assessments, daily notes, medicines records and staff files, sampled and tested against what we see and hear.
- Practice. Observation where appropriate, and conversations with staff at every level.
- People and families. What the people you support and their families say about their care.
- Governance. How incidents, audits, complaints and actions connect, and whether leaders know what is happening.
- Findings you can act on. Every finding is ranked by risk, so the most important things are fixed first.
What you receive
- On-site review against the five key questions
- Care records, medicines and staff file sampling
- Conversations with staff, people and families
- Governance and audit review
- Written report ranked by risk
- Prioritised action plan within 10 working days
How a mock inspection works
Planned with you, delivered on site, reported within 10 working days.
Free call
We agree the scope, the size of the sample and any areas of concern.
Fixed quote
Fixed quote after a free 30-minute call. A clear scope and price agreed before any work starts.
On site
Usually one day for most home care services, or two days for larger and complex care services, with feedback at the end.
Report and plan
A written report and prioritised action plan within 10 working days.
What a mock CQC inspection involves
We look at your service the way an inspector would, against the five key questions. We sample care records, medicines records and staff files, talk to staff at every level, and hear from the people you support and their families. We test whether your governance works: whether incidents, audits, complaints and actions connect, and whether leaders know what is happening. Then we compare what the records say with what we see and hear.
How long it takes
Usually one day on site for most home care services, or two days for larger and complex care services, with verbal feedback at the end of the visit. You receive a written report and a prioritised action plan within 10 working days.
What affects the cost
- The size and type of your service, and how many people you support.
- The number of locations or branches included.
- How many days we spend on site.
- How deep the sample and the report need to go.
- Whether you want follow-up support, such as a return visit to check actions have stuck.
After a free 30-minute call we give you a fixed quote, so you know the full cost before any work starts. Want to start on your own? Download our free mock CQC inspection templates.
What we review
Structured around the five key questions CQC asks of every service.
| Key question | What we look at |
|---|---|
| Safe | Risk assessments, medicines, safeguarding, incidents and learning, staffing and recruitment. |
| Effective | Assessment, consent, training and competency, delegated clinical tasks, outcomes. |
| Caring | Dignity, involvement, and what people and families tell us. |
| Responsive | Personalised care plans, complaints, end of life care where relevant. |
| Well-led | Governance, audits, oversight, culture and how leaders act on what they find. |
CQC Evidence Readiness Checklist
Check how well your records show safe, well-led care, at your own pace. We will email it to you as a PDF.
Common questions
What happens on a mock CQC inspection?
We agree the scope with you first, then spend one or two days with your service. We sample care records, medicines records and staff files, talk to staff, the people you support and their families, and test your governance and audits. You get verbal feedback at the end of the visit and a written report with a prioritised action plan within 10 working days.
How much does a mock CQC inspection cost?
It depends on the size of your service, the number of locations and how deep the sample needs to go. After a free 30-minute call we give you a fixed quote, so you know the full cost before any work starts.
Is there a mock CQC inspection template we can use ourselves?
Yes. Our free CQC Evidence Readiness Checklist above takes you through the evidence an inspector expects under each key question, so you can run your own check first. Our mock CQC inspection checklist explains how to use it. A mock inspection adds what a template cannot: an outside view of practice, culture and what people tell us.
Do you carry out mock inspections in Devon and the South West?
Yes. We are based in Newton Abbot and carry out mock inspections on site across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. See our CQC consultant service in Devon and the South West.
Will you tell our staff it is a mock inspection?
Yes. We work openly with your team. The aim is to help them, not catch them out.
Is the report shared with CQC?
No. The report is yours and confidential. What you do with it is your decision.
Can you help us fix what you find?
Yes, if you want us to. You can add a clinical governance review or follow-up days to work through the action plan with us.
Can you help us prepare for changes to how CQC assesses services?
Yes. We review against the approach CQC is using today, and show where your evidence may need to change as that approach develops.
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Book a free call and we will agree the scope, the date and a fixed price for your mock inspection.
Every Advisory engagement includes a free Assure trial. Fixed quote after a free 30-minute call. See all services